When caring for a preschooler, the nurse understands that this child t

QUESTION

When caring for a preschooler, the nurse understands that this child tends to interpret language in a literal way and that the child will not ask for clarification, leading to a misunderstanding of messages.

The nurse recognizes a preschooler is in which of Piaget’s cognitive stages of development?

a. Concrete operations
b. Formal operations
c. Preoperational
d. Sensorimotor

ANSWER:

ANS: C
Throughout the preoperational period, young children tend to interpret language in a literal way. For example, the child who is told that he will be “put to sleep” during the operation tomorrow may think it means the same as the action recently taken for a pet dog who was too ill to live. Children do not ask for clarification, so messages can be misunderstood quite easily. The concrete operations stage occurs from approximately 7 to 11 years of age. The formal operations stage starts at about age 12+ years. The sensorimotor stage is from birth to about 2 years of age.